Delta Airlines, based in Atlanta, has canceled perks for members of Congress until they vote to approve the SAVE America Act which includes funding for TSA.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act requires documented proof of American citizenship to be eligible to vote in elections.
However, Democrats in Congress pushed back on the proposed bill, saying it would impact Black people who don’t have IDs or can’t operate a computer.
Atlanta’s Delta Airlines is fed up with the lack of Congressional action. Delta announced this week that it is suspending its stand-alone service for members of Congress until the TSA is fully funded.
“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” the statement read. “Next to safety, Delta’s No. 1 priority is taking care of our people and customers, which has become increasingly difficult in the current environment.”
Travelers at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson faced long lines of up to 4 hours at TSA security checkpoints. Many travelers reported missing their flights due to the massive lines.
TSA agents haven’t been paid in weeks due to the ongoing partial government shutdown.
On Monday, Trump deployed ICE officers to assist TSA agents at the nation’s airports.
By Monday afternoon, the lines were significantly shorter and CNN reported wait times of under 40 minutes at Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta.
Congress members, who refuse to fully fund the TSA don’t have to wait in long lines. They have the option of bypassing long lines to board their flights.
But a bill from Texas Sen. John Cornyn that passed the Senate last week would stop Congress members from bypassing TSA lines.
“As many Americans probably don’t know, but most of us in Washington do know, airports around the country allow members of Congress to bypass the usual TSA security screening process at airports nationwide,” Cornyn said on the floor of the U.S. Senate. “In other words, they get to skip the line.”
Cornyn said his bill puts an end to that perk for Congress members. He said the loophole may be responsible for the lack of urgency among Congress members to get the bill passed.
